An Important Place
On the weekends I had been to Antigua, Veracruz many times, but I didn't know
the real importance of this small town until much later when I began doing tour guide work.

For 80 years, it was the repository for the treasure of the orient
and Mexico.

Many times this wealth came from far away on its trip to the mother country of Spain.

How to Get there from Veracruz

Antigua, Veracruz
The Spaniards moved Villa Rica to Antigua as the second Veracruz
because it offered a safe harbor for the fragile wooden galleons
from the bad weather caused by the "nortes" in the wintertime.

These storms lash the Gulf of Mexico 15 or 20 times a year with sometimes
near hurricane force winds,

Most of all Antigua had the space to harbor more ships.

Antigua is about 30 minutes north from the present Veracruz.

Antigua Streets

Antigua is Special
July in Veracruz is the beginning of the rainy season.

Tropical showers occur just about every morning between 4 and 6
AM, just in time to wash the streets clean and leave the air fresh.

The first cup of rich dark roasted coffee in the morning in July hits the spot.

It is the season when the fresh fruits and vegetables are at
their peak.

Peaceful Morning

Juicy Mangos
It´s when juicy mangos and papayas are wonderful for
breakfast.

The atmosphere in Antigua is special.

You can wander through the ruins of the distant past, and almost
sense the intense activity that took place here 400 years ago.

Quiet Village
On the surface, Antigua looks like a calm, peaceful, and rather dull
tropical village shaded by the ever present tall mango trees.

Km. 0 on the Camino Real

Cobblestone Streets
Cobblestone streets, and occasional village children who approach
asking to be your personal guide and recite the important history
of their little village.

Antigua today is a village with small stores.

It has the atmosphere of a
small tropical town in Mexico with its friendly people as
they go about their daily business, unaware of the historical importance of their
little town.

There are few tourists and you can have Antigua all to yourself.

The Ermita del Rosario

First Church in Continental America

Built in 1524, it is the
first church continental America. Its style is similar
to the missions in California.

This is also Km. 0 of the Camino Real that stretched
as far as San Francisco and Santa Fe.

An Ancient Doorway

The Aztec Gold of Antigua
From 1525 until about 1600, Antigua was Veracruz.

At that time, the present port of
Veracruz was officially authorized on the Island of San Juan de Ulua.

During those years Antigua was the most important
concentration point of the Spanish Empire.

The Annual Treasure Fleet
From Antigua, all the Spanish treasure from New Spains, the Philippines, and South
America was stored, catalogued and shipped to Havana, and then sent on to Spain.

After many years, pirates gathered throughout the Caribbean to make
attempts at getting the treasure.

La Casa de Hernan Cortés

In 1628, Piet Heyn, a Dutch admiral for the Dutch West Indies Company,
devised a way to capture the whole fleet near Cuba
and was successful.

Although his expedition cost 5,000,000
guilders, his haul was worth 12,000,000 guilders.

Stories of Lost Treasure
People still find parts of some of the treasure that was "lost",
and somehow never made it to Spain.

Ancient Arch

About 20 years ago a fisherman south of here found some
27 kilos of Aztec gold while looking for octopus amongst the rocks.

This is about the weight
of what an Indian slave could carry on foot on his way from Mexico
City to Antigua.

When the authorities found out, the fisherman was arrested, along
with the jeweler he was selling the gold to.

What's left of the fisherman's treasure is on display at the Baluarte Santiago in
Veracruz.

To this day there are many theories as to how it got there.

Parasite Trees

Shiploading Problems Loading and unloading was a lengthy process.

It is said that it took about two months to unload a ship and another
4 months to load. the administrative processes of
counting and documenting must have been tedious.

It is interesting to walk among the quiet ruins of
what was once such an important place where millions and
millions of dollars of treasure passed through on it's way
to 16th Century Spain.

Parasite Trees Covering The Walls
The growth looking like tree roots
on the walls is actually a parasitic jungle vine that normally
climbs up an innocent host tree.

Over time wraps itself
around the tree and strangles its host until it eventually
dries up.

The "Tianguis" Continues

A Huge "Tianguis"
From early witnesses, it is said when ships began arriving in from
Spain to offload the precious goods from Europe, Antigua became a
huge "tianguis", or open air market, that covered many
square blocks.

Wine, olive oil, luxury goods, furniture, farm animals, books and bibles, and
religious supplies were among the many items brought from Spain.

The trading usually lasted several months in the unhealthy climate.

When the last ship finally left for Spain Antigua would return
to its normal routine of a sleepy tropical Colonial village.

But for about a hundred years this was the Second Veracruz
where enormous amounts of Aztec gold was shipped to Spain.

A sort of "Tianguis" continues today.

Where Hernan Cortés Anchored his Ship

The Enchanted Tree of Hernán Cortés
About a block inland from the Antigua River is what is
said to be the roots of the original tree where Cortez
tied his ship.

Only the roots remain. Surrounded with
ancient anchor chains found in the river.

Since then
the river has changed its course.

Some people believe this tree has magic powers that you can "feel" its
ancient vibrations.

Many people come here to make a wish.

Feeling the Vibrations

Making a Wish with the Left Hand

Cannons Attract Kids
Kids are attracted by cannons.

This is a twelve pounder from the 16th Century. It must weigh several
tons.

Up close its operation is very simple.

The nob on the back controls the swivel, and holds it back to a certain
extent. Without the ears to hold it down on the sides, it won´t work.

Can you imagine the damage a loose cannon on deck could cause in a
storm?

Antigua Church

Antigua Church
Next door to the Casa de Cortes, hidden behind
the almond trees, is the small plaza and church.

Along with the Spanish soldiers came priests
who ministered to the spiritual needs of the members of the
expeditions, as well as to evangelize the local native populations.

The Spanish priests learned the Indian dialects,
and were often the only advocates to prevent abuses
of the conquered peoples in New Spain.

The Altar

For about 150 years after the conquest the
"encomienda" system prevailed.

This meant the Indians were expected to
help out in the construction of public works projects including churches and
haciendas.

Many of the churches in New Spain
in the 16th century were built by this "free"
labor. Sometimes you can see the sadness and suffering in
some of the statues of this time period.

A Baptism Service

The Parish
Of all the works Spanish colonial architecture in Mexico, what seems
to remain are the churches.

And many centuries-old churches in Mexico
remain very active to the present time.

There is always some type of special event going on in the friendly parish.
The day we visited a communal baptism service was
in process.

When it was time for "la paz", where everyone turns around
and shakes the hand of his neighbor or gives an "abrazo", people
also turned to me.

Even though I was an outsider, I was welcomed by the friendly handshakes of the
friend people of Antigua. People I didn't even know.

Seafood Platter

Restaurant Las Delicias

After walking through centuries of gold, galleons, and churches,
a quiet restaurant on the river was the perfect place.

A seafood platter, marimba music, and the folk dances of Veracruz.
During the week you have the restaurant to yourself!

Restaurant in a Home

Antigua Abandoned
Even though Antigua seemed like a good harbor in
1525, in later years it was later found to be difficult during the rainy
season especially when the river flooded.

On many occasions the river rose to the extent that it
lifted the galleons onshore leaving them
high and dry.

The work to put them back in the
water often added several additional months to the shipping schedule.

The wheels of royal bureaucracy moved slowly in those days.

Around 1585, the Island of
San Juan de Ulua , about
20 miles south of the present location of Veracruz, was approved
as the new official port.

Old Men and the River

At that time, the name of the town was changed to "La Antigua Veracruz",
was virtually abandoned as people moved to the new Veracruz.

Enough History We started at the first Veracruz at
Quiahuiztlán
and Villa Rica, to the
Second Veracruz in Antigua, and the beginnings of the largest transfer of wealth in
the history of mankind.